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3 books - a hypothetical

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dorkbot

Skilled Investigator
There have been a few other book threads but as the field is constantly changing and the threads are a bit old I'd like to pose the following scenario:

A friend has taken an interest in the subject of UFOs. This person has a 4 year college degree and the only previous exposure to UFO material has been one or two television documentaries. Knowing of your interest in the subject, the friend asks for some recommendations for reading material. Time and attention span dictate that they will read precisely three books on the subject. Which three do you recommend?

Recommend three books that you personally have read and an explanation or justification for your choices if you like as well. They can be three books that either complement or contradict each other. The alternative to making carefully considered selections is that your friend will walk into the nearest chain bookstore and pick three titles that are in stock and look interesting.

Please don't reply with one book, five books, one that you haven't read but heard was good, criticisms of other people's choices, suggestions of "anything by X", links to ufo websites, discussions about how three books aren't enough, movies or anything other than the three most intelligent, informative and responsible selections you've personally read.
 
GREAT THREAD!!!

1 -- UFOs and the National Security State by Richard Dolan
Note: This is a must read for this topic. Hands Down. It is itelligent and insightful. I am sure that everyone in the forum will agree.

2 -- Ufo Sightings: The Evidence by Robert Sheaffer
Note: In an attempt to present 2 sides of an arguement, we might as well expose them to this crap early. This book employs all the tactics of a true professional debunker. Hopefully it will help to spawn more interest in the field when juxtaposed between Dolan and my next choice.

3 -- Witness to Roswell: Unmasking the 60-Year Cover-Up by Thomas J. Carey, Donald R. Schmitt
Note: Regardless of their redicualous claims of being the only real Roswel researchers, I thought the book was good. I think it servers as a good "Current State of Things" guide. Lets face it, as much as most of us hate hearing more about Roswell, newbies are drawn to it. This book puts a lot of information out there.

sorry, edited to remove my comments about 3 book. I didnt read you last paragraph until after I had written.
 
Richard Hall's "Uninvited Guests."

Richard Dolan's "UFOs and the National Security State: Chronology of a Coverup."

Jerome Clark's "UFO Encyclopedia."
 
dorkbot said:
A friend has taken an interest in the subject of UFOs...they will read precisely three books on the subject. Which three do you recommend?
Click to expand...

If he's really your friend, tell him to stay away from it. The subject makes people insane.

******

Just kidding just kidding! : - )

/I'm perfectly sane.
//Well, my second personality is.
///Is it time for my pills yet?
 
Look, my last paragraph starts with the word "please". I'm not trying to be bossy but I just didn't want the thread to immediately derail into something not related to my scenario. Think of it as a poll where choices are limited.
 
Well, I feel comfortable recommending the Vallee trio recently reissued by Anomalist Books:

- Confrontations
- Dimensions
- Revelations

Add the Dolan book mentioned by others, and you're done.

It's four, I know, but with those four, your friend is covered.

You're welcome. :cool:

dB
 
dorkbot said:
Look, my last paragraph starts with the word "please". I'm not trying to be bossy but I just didn't want the thread to immediately derail into something not related to my scenario. Think of it as a poll where choices are limited.
Click to expand...

When the "please" is followed by "don't reply with one book, five books, one that you haven't read but heard was good, criticisms of other people's choices, suggestions of "anything by X", links to ufo websites, discussions about how three books aren't enough, movies or anything other than the three most intelligent, informative and responsible selections you've personally read." it's a bit hard to take seriously.

That's like saying 'please don't be a dick'.
 
Couldn't agree with David Biedny more. The three Vallee books and the Dolan book are what you need. Dolan to get a good overview of the historical facts (at least as far as the US is concerned), and Vallee because he approaches the subject with the least preconceptions and will basically "immunize" you against going down any particular "I have the answers" route in your further reading.

If I had to add anything I'd recommend John Keel, "Operation Trojan Horse." Absolutely brilliant, although more in the way of a thought-provoking argument for something other than the ETH than a history. It might not add much more to the Vallee books (although it strikes a more cautionary tone, and is better at united UFO phenomena with other aspects of the paranormal) but it is very well written.

I ordered the Richard Hall "Uninvited Guests" book a couple of weeks ago via amazon and it's still not here. Grr. :mad:

I hope this thread keeps going. I'm dismayed at the lack of good UFO books out there and what to know if there's anything I've missed.

At the risk of hijacking a thread, if anyone has read and can recommend any good English-language books on the Brazilian Colores flap, Operation Saucer, or Chupa-type sightings in general, please tell!
 
I have yet read enough to recommend three, but out of what I have read I would definitely suggest The UFO Book: Encyclopedia Of The Extraterrestrial by Jerome Clark. It gives an overview of a variety of cases, and also of a variety of viewpoints (all nutshelled very well and from different "sides" of each), and also several key player mini-bios.
 
David Biedny said:
Well, I feel comfortable recommending the Vallee trio recently reissued by Anomalist Books:

- Confrontations
- Dimensions
- Revelations

Add the Dolan book mentioned by others, and you're done.

It's four, I know, but with those four, your friend is covered.

dB
Click to expand...

Dave --

I think you're right on the money there.

Personally, if we could go to five books, I'd want to include The Omega Project: Near-Death Experiences, UFO Encounters, and Mind at Large by Dr. Kenneth Ring. Otherwise, in my opinion, the four you mention are the best of the best.

Edit: I mention The Omega Project because this was the first book that I'm aware of that gave serious thought (by a professor of Psychology, no less) to the commonalities between UFO encounter/abduction experiences and near death experiences, likening them both to shamanic experiences. Ring's thinking about this stuff came to mind immediately when I heard Jeff Ritzmann describe his experiences as "more real than real," which is an idea I first ran across in this book.
 
David Biedny I was wondering if you and Gene would please consider posting a recommended reading and DVD list for your forum members with a short explanation of each. Also a list of books, DVDs, and personalities that you consider to unreliable, like a one armed man in Switzerland whose name I will not mention.

I have been listening to the Paracast since the first episode, and do not always remember which guests, books, or DVDs are considered to be unreliable. I believe that this kind of list this would be beneficial to people who are interested in the subject as well as some long time listeners who find that they now have some extra time to learn a little more about this fascinating and important topic.
 
I ordered Jacques Vallee's trilogy from Barnes and Noble on the 16th and got them today! About forty five dollars for the set.

I will shamefully admit that I did not know about his work until I heard about him on the Paracast.

Dave and Gene,
When is he going to be on your show again...if you know?
 
How about:

Flying Saucers and Science by Stanton Friedman (I reviewed it recently on this forum and it would be perfect for this type of reader).
Project Blue Book Special Report #14 which, by the way, is available as a PDF here: http://www.ufocasebook.com/pdffiles.html as well as in print.
UFO Sightings: The Evidence by Robert Scheaffer (or something similar) to present a bit of a balance. I think that I have read this and it is a fair representation of the debunker view... honestly the skeptical books run together in my head (as do the true believer books).
 
1)Jacques Vallee,Passport to Magonia:
The year was 1969; Dylan went country, LSD was all the rage, and UFOs were piloted by little Pixies from Ireland.


2)Dr.Richard Haines,CE-5:Close Encounters of the 5th Kind:
The UFO book of the Future - Today.


3)Timothy Good,Alien Liaison:
The book has a very revealing interview with Bobby Ray Inman (suspected "MJ-12" insider and former head of both the NSA and SAIC),were he basically admits that "they" are in possession of "recovered technology".
The interview was recorded by researcher,Bob Oechsler,without Inman knowing it,and it caused a big controversy when Inmans secretary pleaded with Oechsler,afterwards,that he not discuss the contents of the interview in public...
 
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